MediaTalk; ABC May Have Some Comedy Contenders

By BILL CARTER

Published: April 9, 2001

The long wait at ABC for the next successful series may be over.

If the evidence from the last several weeks holds up, ABC may have two and perhaps three new comedies to fill some holes on its schedule, and provide a little help next season to ''Who Wants To Be a Millionaire,'' the game show that has been holding up the network in prime time all but single-handedly.

And nowhere are the sighs of relief louder than inside ABC's program department, where the co-chairmen of entertainment, Stu Bloomberg and Lloyd Braun, have been waiting for some sign of a turnaround.

The signs have come in the last two weeks in strong ratings for the new comedies ''My Wife and Kids,'' starring Damon Wayans, and ''What About Joan,'' starring Joan Cusack. Both shows have proved solid winners in their time periods. And ABC is also hopeful about a third comedy, ''The Job,'' which has not posted hit ratings but has been performing respectably.

The network has not added a standout entertainment show in four seasons. All three comedies were ready to be added last fall, but Mr. Bloomberg and Mr. Braun withheld them because they did not feel they had the right time slots to position them effectively.

''We had to endure; we had to have a lot of patience and wait for the opening in the season where these shows had a real chance to break through,'' Mr. Braun said.

Mr. Bloomberg said the plan centered on ABC's telecast of the Academy Awards last month, which the network filled with promotions for the comedies.

''My Wife and Kids'' has averaged 13.4 million viewers and a 5.5 rating among viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 for the four episodes ABC has used so far. ''What About Joan'' has averaged 14 million viewers and a 6.3 rating among those young-adult viewers for its two episodes which have run at 9:30 on Tuesday nights. By comparison, ABC has only averaged a 4.6 rating with that age group in prime time this season.

Mr. Braun said, ''No one is jumping out of their skin yet, but certainly all the signs are good.''

The result could have some impact on ABC's negotiations with the Fox television studio for the comedy ''Dharma & Greg.'' Until now, ABC seemed to have little option but to pay a high price to renew ''Dharma,'' whose contract expires this year.

But ratings for that show have been fading, and ABC has been reluctant to pay a high price to bring it back. With possible replacements on hand, the leverage in the negotiations for ''Dharma & Greg'' may have shifted toward ABC.